_The Union Troops decoyed into a Swamp.--They are outnumbered.--Their
great Bravery.--The Heroism of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts.--Death of
Col. Fribley._
The battle of Olustee was fought in a swamp situated thirty-five miles
west of Jacksonville, and four miles from Sanderson, in the State of
Florida. The expedition was under the immediate command of Gen. C.
Seymour, and consisted of the Seventh New Hampshire, Seventh Connecticut
(armed with Spencer rifles, which fire eight times without loading),
Eighth United-States (colored) Battery, Third United-States Artillery,
Fifty-fourth Massachusetts (colored), and First North-Carolina
(colored). The command having rested on the night of the 19th of
February, 1884, at Barbour’s Ford, on the St. Mary’s River, took up its
line of march on the morning of the 20th, and proceeded to Sanderson,
nine miles to the west, which was reached at one o’clock, p.m., without
interruption; but, about three miles beyond, the advance drove in the
enemy’s pickets. The Seventh Connecticut, being deployed as skirmishers,
fell in with the enemy’s force in the swamp, strengthened still more by
rifle-pits. Here they were met by cannon and musketry; but our troops,
with their Spencer rifles, played great havoc with the enemy, making
an attempt to take one of his pieces of artillery, but failed. However,
they hold their ground nobly for three-quarters of an hour, and were
just about retiring as the main body of our troops came up.
The Eighth (colored), which had never been in battle, and which had been
recruited but a few weeks, came up and filed to the right, when they met
with a most terrific shower of musketry and shell. Gen. Seymour now came
up, and pointing in front, towards the railroad, said to Col. Fribley,
commander of the Eighth, “Take your regiment in there,”--a place which
was sufficiently hot to make the oldest and most field-worn veterans
tremble; and yet these men, who had never heard the sound of a cannon
before, rushed in where they commenced dropping like grass before the
sickle: still on they went without faltering, until they came within two
hundred yards of the enemy’s strongest works. Here these brave men stood
for nearly three hours before a terrible fire, closing up as their
ranks were thinned out, fire in front, on their flank, and in the rear,
without flinching or breaking.
Col. Fribley, seeing that it was impossible to hold the position, passed
along the lines to tell the officers to fire, and fall back gradually,
and was shot before he reached the end. He was shot in the chest, told
the men to carry him to the rear, and expired in a very few minutes.
Major Burritt took command, but was also wounded in a short time. At
this time Capt. Hamilton’s battery became endangered, and he cried out
to our men for God’s sake to save his battery. Our United-States flag,
after three sergeants had forfeited their lives by bearing it during the
fight, was planted on the battery by Lieut. Elijah Lewis, and the men
rallied around it; but the guns had been jammed up so indiscriminately,
and so close to the enemy’s lines, that the gunners were shot down as
fast as they made their appearance; and the horses, whilst they were
wheeling the pieces into position, shared the same fate. They were
compelled to leave the battery, and failed to bring the flag away. The
battery fell into the enemy’s hands. During the excitement, Capt. Bailey
took command, and brought out the regiment in good order. Sergt. Taylor,
Company D, who carried the battle-flag, had his right hand nearly shot
off, but grasped the colors with the left hand, and brought them out.
The Seventh New Hampshire was posted on both sides of the wagon-road,
and broke, but soon rallied, and did good execution. The line was
probably one mile long, and all along the fighting was terrific.
Our artillery, where it could be worked, made dreadful havoc on the
enemy; whilst the enemy did us but very little injury with his, with the
exception of one gun, a sixty-four pound swivel, fixed on a truck-car
on the railroad, which fired grape and canister. On the whole, their
artillery was very harmless; but their musketry fearful.
Up to this time, neither the First North Carolina nor the Fifty-fourth
Massachusetts had taken any part in the fight, as they were in the
rear some distance. However, they heard the roar of battle, and were
hastening to the field, when they were met by an aide, who came riding
up to the colonel of the Fifty-fourth, saying, “For God’s sake, colonel,
double-quick, or the day is lost!” Of all the regiments, every
one seemed to look to the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts with the most
dependence on the field of battle. This regiment was under the command
of Col. E. N. Hallowell, who fell wounded by the side of Col. Shaw,
at Fort Wagner, and who, since his recovery, had been in several
engagements, in all of which he had shown himself an excellent officer,
and had gained the entire confidence of his men, who were willing
to follow him wherever he chose to lead. When the aide met these two
regiments, he found them hastening on.
The First North Carolina was in light marching order; the Fifty-fourth
Massachusetts was in heavy marching order, with knapsacks, haversacks,
canteens, and every other appurtenance of the soldier. But off went
every thing, and they double-quicked on to the field. At the most
critical juncture, just as the rebels were preparing for a simultaneous
charge along the whole line, and they had captured our artillery
and turned it upon us, Col. James Montgomery, Col. Hallo-well, and
Lieut.-Col. Hooper formed our line of battle on right by file into line.
The Fifty-fourth Massachusetts went in first, with a cheer. They were
followed by the First North Carolina (colored). Lieut.-Col. Reed,
in command, headed the regiment, sword in hand, and charged upon the
rebels. They broke when within twenty yards of contact with our negro
troops. Overpowered by numbers, the First North Carolina fell back
in good order, and poured in a destructive fire. Their colonel fell,
mortally wounded. Major Bogle fell wounded, and two men were killed
in trying to reach his body. The Adjutant, William C. Manning, wounded
before at Malvern Hills, got a bullet in his body, but persisted
in remaining until another shot struck him. His lieutenant-colonel,
learning the fact, embraced him, and implored him to leave the field.
The next moment the two friends were stretched side by side: the colonel
had received his own death-wound. _But the two colored regiments had
stood in the gap, and saved the army!_ The Fifty-fourth Massachusetts,
which, with the First North Carolina, may be truly said to have saved
the forces from utter route, lost eighty men.
There were three color-sergeants shot down: the last one was shot three
times before he relinquished the flag of his country. His name was
Samuel C. Waters, Company C, and his body sleeps where he fell. The
battle-flag carried by Sergt. Taylor was borne through the fight with
the left hand, after the right one was nearly shot off. The rebels
fired into the place where the wounded were being attended to; and
their cavalry was about making a charge on it just as the Fifty-fourth
Massachusetts appeared on the field, when they retired.
Had Col. Hallowell not seen at a glance the situation of affairs,
the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers would have been killed or
captured. When they entered the field with the First North Carolina,
which is a brave regiment, they (the First North Carolina) fired well
while they remained; but they gave way, thus exposing the right. On the
left, the rebel cavalry were posted; and, as the enemy’s left advanced
on our right, their cavalry pressed the left. Both flanks were thus
being folded up, and slaughter or capture would have been the inevitable
result. We fell back in good order, and established new lines of battle,
until we reached Sanderson. Here a scene that beggars description was
presented. Wounded men lined the railroad station; and the roads
were filled with artillery, caissons, ammunition and baggage-wagons,
infantry, cavalry, and ambulances. The only organized bodies ready
to repel attack were a portion of the Fortieth Massachusetts Mounted
Infantry, armed with the Spencer repeating-rifle, the Fifty-fourth
Massachusetts Volunteers, and the Seventh Connecticut, commanded by Col.
Hawley, now governor of Connecticut.
An occurrence of thrilling interest took place during the battle, which
I must not omit to mention: it was this:--
Col. Hallowed ordered the color-line to be advanced one hundred and
fifty paces. Three of the colored corporals, Pease, Palmer, and Glasgow,
being wounded, and the accomplished Goodin killed, there were four only
left,--Wilkins the acting sergeant, Helnian and Lenox. The colors were
perforated with bullets, and the staff was struck near the grasp of
the sergeant; but the color-guard marched steadily out, one hundred and
fifty paces to the front, with heads erect and square to the front; and
the battalion rallied around it, and fought such a fight as made Col.
Hallowell shout with very joy, and the men themselves to ring out
defiant cheers which made the pines and marshes of Ocean Pond echo
again.
The attachment which the colored men form for their officers is very
great, often amounting to self-sacrifice. Thus when Major Bogle fell
wounded, one of his soldiers sprang forward to rescue him, and bear him
to the rear. At that instant a rebel sergeant fired, and wounded
the black man in the shoulder. This, however, did not force him to
relinquish his purpose, but appeared to add to his determination; and
he had his arms around the wounded officer, when a second ball passed
through the soldier’s head, and he fell and expired on the body of his
superior, who was taken prisoner by the enemy.
Although these colored men had never been paid off, and their families
at home were in want, they were as obedient and fought as bravely as the
white troops, whose pockets contained “greenbacks,” and whose wives and
children were provided for.
The Fifty-fourth Massachusetts went into the battle with “Three cheers
for Massachusetts, and seven dollars a month.”
It is well known that the general in command came to the colonel and
said, “The day is lost: you must do what you can to save the army from
destruction.” And nobly did they obey him. They fired their guns till
their ammunition was exhausted, and then stood with fixed bayonets
till the broken columns had time to retreat, and though once entirely
outflanked, the enemy getting sixty yards in their rear, their undaunted
front and loud cheering caused the enemy to pause, and allowed them time
to change front. They occupied the position as rear guard all the way
back to Jacksonville; and, where-ever was the post of danger, there was
the Fifty-fourth to be found.
When the forces arrived at Jacksonville, they there learned that the
train containing the wounded was at Ten-Mile Station, where it had
been left, owing to the breaking down of the engine. The Fifty-fourth
Massachusetts, fatigued and worn out as it was, was despatched at once,
late at night, to the assistance of the disabled train. Arriving at
Ten-Mile Station, they found that the only way to bring the wounded
with them was to attach ropes to the cars, and let the men act as motive
power. Thus the whole train of cars containing the wounded from the
battle of Olustee was dragged a distance of ten miles by that brave
colored regiment. All accounts give the negroes great praise for
gallantry displayed at this battle. Even the correspondent of “The
New-York Herald” gives this emphatic testimony: “The First North
Carolina and the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts, of the colored troops, _did
admirably._ The First North Carolina _held the positions it was placed
in with the greatest tenacity, and inflicted heavy loss on the enemy. It
was cool and steady, and never flinched for a moment. The Fifty-fourth
sustained the reputation they had gained at Wagner, and bore themselves
like soldiers throughout the battle._” A letter from Beaufort, dated
Feb. 26, from a gentleman who accompanied Gen. Seymour’s expedition, has
the following passage relative to the conduct of the Fifty-fourth in the
repulse in Florida:--
“A word about the terrible defeat in Florida. We have been driven from
Lake City to within seven miles of Jacksonville,--fifty-three miles. The
rebels allowed us to penetrate, and then, with ten to our one, cut
us off, meaning to _‘bag’ us; and, had it not been for the glorious
Fifty-fourth Massachusetts, the whole brigade would have been captured
or annihilated._ This was the only regiment that rallied, broke the
rebel ranks, and saved us. _The Eighth United-States (colored) lost
their flag twice, and the Fifty-fourth recaptured it each time_. They
had lost, in killed and missing, about three hundred and fifty. They
would not retreat when ordered, but charged with the most fearful
desperation, driving the enemy before them, and turning their
left flank. If this regiment has not won glory enough to have
shoulder-straps, where is there one that ever did?”